The Next Term
by Gryffindor's Dynamic Duo
Summary: Okay, this is posted on Marionie Hearts as well but we decided to co-write it now so enjoy reading it! Rating change for language...Mika's temper. Nuff said.
1. The Arrival

The Next Term  
  
Chapter 1: The Arrival  
  
Harry Potter walked up past the lake towards Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He could not believe he had just recently graduated and was already back with Albus Dumbledore. Harry pulled on the large entrance door and stepped into the Entrance Hall looking around. His stomach fluttered a bit as a smile spread across his face.  
  
"Ah, Mr. Potter. Welcome back." Harry looked at the person that was talking to him. His eyes grew wide as he saw the familiar blazing red hair.  
  
"RON! What are you doing here?" Harry put down his things and shook Ron's hand still surprised to see him there. "I thought you went to work for the Ministry and you were away on business."  
  
"Oh, that. No, it was just a cover story!" Ron smiled. "I am actually going to teach Muggle Studies here. I mean, who better than a Weasley is there to teach Muggle Studies."  
  
"No one I can think of?" Harry smiled. "Oh, can you give me a hand with my things. I really want to get my office ready."  
  
"Sure, what are you teaching anyway?" Ron picked up the right side of Harry's trunk as Harry grabbed onto the left side. "I've heard rumors of Divination."  
  
"Divinations? Why would I want to teach that? I really didn't like that class." Harry thought back to his 4th year at Hogwarts. "No, I'm going to teach History of Magic. Professor Binns finally decided to pass on."  
  
"Oh, so you get to teach about yourself?" Ron crinkled his face a little, "That would a be a little weird if you asked me."  
  
"Well, it will be a little weird, but I'll get over it eventually." Harry and Ron reached a door. Harry pushed the door open with a small creak and walked into the empty office. "Okay, lets just put this stuff down here. I need to go talk to Professor Dumbledore… erm... I mean Albus."  
  
"Alright, so do I. Lets go." Harry and Ron walked out of the office and headed towards Albus Dumbledore's office. Midway there they ran into a rather attractive woman… well, at least Harry thought she looked attractive… all he had seen was a flutter of brown hair before he fell backwards onto the ground.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry." The woman stood up brushing her robes off. Harry thought to himself 'boy, she looks familiar.' He looked over at Ron, he seemed to have the same look on his face. "Hermione?"  
  
The woman smiled and nodded her head. "'Ello Harry, Ron. How are you?" Hermione giggled and pulled both of the boys into a hug. "OH, YOU DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH I'VE MISSED YOU TWO!"  
  
Harry smiled again. This was just like when they had gone to Hogwarts as students. The Dynamic Three were back together again. "Are you teaching here too Hermione?"  
  
"Of course." Hermione stepped back releasing the hug, "Professor Flitwick is letting me teach Advanced Charms for him!"  
  
"Well, we are on our way to Albus's office." Ron looked a little uncomfortable saying Professor Dumbledore's name. "Did you want to join us?"  
  
"That would be lovely. I am supposed to meet with him any way." Hermione smiled at her two best friends. "It is a little weird calling him Albus. I feel that way to Ron."  
  
Harry noticed a few of Hermione's changes after their seventh year. First of all, her hair was much shorter and less unwilling. It sat in small spirally curls instead of the unruly ones it used to have. They now hung just below her delicate looking shoulders. Of course the obvious, she was wearing blue robes instead of the black ones they had to wear as students. Harry looked at Hermione's finger… was that a?  
  
"Hermione?" Harry looked back at Hermione suspiciously. "Is there something you would like to tell me and Ron?" Harry reached down grabbing Hermione's hand.  
  
"Oh, that…" Hermione smiled and Harry caught a glow, "Viktor asked me to marry him!"  
  
"Viktor Krum asked Hermione Granger to be his wife… and she said yes?" Ron blinked and was hit with Hermione's other hand. Ron laughed.  
  
"Oh be quiet Ron!" Hermione took her hand back from Harry and twirled the ring around. "Yes, it is a 24 Karat Diamond Ring. He asked me last week."  
  
"Congradulations Hermione! I am so happy for you." This time it was Harry who initiated the hug. "Do you know when you are planning the wedding for?"  
  
"Thank you Harry, and no, we haven't started planning the wedding yet." Hermione smiled and looked down at her watch. "Oh, we better hurry, it's almost cur…" Hermione caught herself before she continued and blushed.  
  
"Curfew Hermione?" Ron laughed again and started to walk away, "Well, lets go before we miss curfew and get house points taken away."  
  
"OH, RON WEASLEY, GET BACK HERE." Hermione ran after the laughing Ron leaving Harry behind to watch them tease each other.  
  
"HEY, WAIT FOR ME!!!" 


	2. Unbelievable Tragedy

The Next Term  
  
Chapter 2: Unbelievable Tragedy  
  
"Ah, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger, and Mr. Potter… or shall I say Professor Wealsey, Professor Granger, and Professor Potter." Dumbledore had just walked out of his office when the three ran towards him.  
  
"Oh, err. Hello Professor…" Hermione looked down at the ground.  
  
"What ever is wrong Hermione? And please, not so former… You are my colleagues now, please call me Albus." Dumbledore smiled at them. He looked like he was getting old and tired. Ever since the defeat of Voldemort in their last year he seemed to be getting tired. "No need to be upset… you're no longer students."  
  
"You need to speak with us Albus?" Harry looked around from Ron's back, 'Gosh, why is he so tall' Harry thought to himself looking at Dumbledore.  
  
"Ah, yes about your jobs." Dumbledore motioned to follow him and walked back into his office. "First how are your families?"  
  
"Great." All three said in unison trying hard not to crack up laughing.  
  
"Ahh, same as ever I see." Dumbledore chuckled. "Let's see, do any of you know who else will be joining us this year?"  
  
"No sir, we thought we were the only ones." Ron spoke first. "I've heard rumor's though."  
  
Dumbledore opened a drawer. "Well let us see… Madame Hooch was offered a job in France and took it so we have Oliver wood coming back for that position, with his significant other…"  
  
"Sir…" Harry cut Dumbledore short causing him to raise his brows at Harry. "Is what I heard true?"  
  
"Yes Harry I'm afraid it is…" Harry looked down into his lap.  
  
"Is what true Albus?" Hermione looked over at Harry then back to Ron.  
  
"Marionie Hearts… she, well…" Dumbledore shifted uncomfortably in his chair.  
  
"I'll tell them later Albus." Harry lifted his head.  
  
Dumbledore continued with his list of students coming back which included: Harry, Ron, and Hermione, Oliver Wood, Marionie Hearts, Draco Malfoy, Mikaila Avalon, Sirius Douglass, and Amy Cook. The group remembered all of them and Dumbledore said there were more but he would let them go to get settled in their rooms which, were strategically placed all next to each other.  
  
After they had left the office and were walking up to their rooms Harry was stopped by both Ron and Hermione stopping directly in front of him. "What happened to Marionie Harry? Is she alright?" Ron was the first one to speak once stopped.  
  
"Do you remember the report in the Daily Prophet about the Beater who was seriously hurt during the England vs. Bulgaria game?" Harry looked over at Hermione, surely she knew about it.  
  
"Viktor said something about it… but he said he wasn't supposed to say who it was…" Hermione looked him over and got a shocked looked on her face. "No!"  
  
"That was Marionie, Harry? Is she alright?" Ron was looking pale. Everyone knew that Ron had had a crush on Marionie when she had first come to Hogwarts.  
  
"She broke a lot of bones Ron… those were healed easily, but she had some internal injuries." Harry looked down at the ground. He truly couldn't believe this had happened to his cousin. "They don't think she'll be able to have children Ron. She was destroyed when she found out. I received the owl a day later."  
  
"Oh my goodness Harry… if there is anything I can do… just tell me." Hermione hugged Harry a few tears falling down her cheeks.  
  
"Just, don't mention it around her alright guys?" Harry made them promise before they continued on to their rooms. Later that evening Harry heard a quiet knock on his door while he was settling in. He went over and opened the door looking at the person.  
  
Marionie's eyes still had red marks from where she had been crying. She seemed to have some sort of muggle cast on her arm and she lurched forward pulling Harry into a hug. "I'm sure Albus told you that is was true Harry. I can't believe it."  
  
Harry continued hugging Marionie. "It's not for sure Mari, and you know it! I'm sure everything will be alright." Marionie let go of the hug and walked into Harry's room before he shut the door.  
  
"Oliver hasn't spoken to me since the day I got out of the Quidditch infirmary Harry! I don't think he wants to be with me anymore." Marionie leaned forward and started to cry again.  
  
"If he does that he is an idiot Marionie because I know everything will be fine. I can feel it." Harry pulled her into another hug and let her cry on his shoulder. When he had first found out he had a cousin, who was related to Draco Malfoy, he didn't know what to feel. Then he met Marionie and knew he had been selfish before.  
  
After about an hour of crying, Harry some how got Marionie to laugh. After another hour of talking and a quick glance at his watch seeing it was 11:30 in the evening, Marionie decided she would go to her room to sleep for a while. They said their goodbyes for the evening and Harry made sure Marionie got to her room alright before spotting Oliver.  
  
"Hey Wood. Can I have a minute of your time." Harry caught a sigh from Oliver as he walked towards him.  
  
"Sure Harry what is it?" Oliver stopped in front of the door looking rather tired.  
  
"I just spoke with Marionie. Why are you ignoring her. She is going through a rough time." Harry was getting mad and protective now. Marionie didn't have any brothers or sisters and Draco wasn't around so it was Harry's turn.  
  
"I'm not ignoring her Harry, I was busy. Where is her room?" Oliver looked around at the identical doors before seeing a glimmer of blue spark from one of the doors. "Never mind, I see she is setting up her room now. I'll just see how she is."  
  
"I wouldn't bother her now, she is about to go to sleep. Make sure you talk to her tomorrow and try to comfort her… this is going to be a long time before the results come back from all the test they put her through in the Muggle World." Harry shut the door and heard Oliver's footsteps disappear down the hallway and sat by his bed.  
  
"Please God, let Marionie be alright!" He then crawled under his green sheets and drifted into a somber sleep. 


	3. Mixed Emotions

The Next Term  
  
Chapter 3: Mixed Emotions  
  
Mika Avalon sat in a compartment alone on the early Hogwarts Express, for the professors. She couldn't believe it! It was just three years ago that she had been riding on the very same train as a student. Things had changed since then a lot. Her best friend Marionie Hearts was playing Quidditch for England and dating Oliver Wood, Hermione Granger ended up breaking up with Ron Weasley and dating Viktor Krum...while she ended up at a Muggle University in America, studying music and French while trying to forget her life in the wizarding world. She managed to live as a regular Muggle for a while but when she received a letter from Professor Dumbledore himself asking her to come back to Hogwarts and teach, she couldn't refuse. First of all, the Headmaster had been so kind to her during her years as a student, and also she couldn't resist the offer just because she would reunited with her old friends. She had mixed emotions about the job but she took it anyway.  
  
"Professor Avalon! I didn't think you'd be here!" a familiar male voice said behind her, "Decided you couldn't live without me?"  
  
She looked over her shoulder at Draco Malfoy in disgust and replied, "No, I was doing just fine. This isn't about you."  
  
Before she knew it, Draco was sitting in front of her.  
  
"I meant it, Malfoy!" she snapped, "I couldn't care less if you dropped dead."  
  
Within the depths of Draco's cool blue eyes, she found an trace of hurt but ignored it. She continued staring angrily at him.  
  
"You don't mean that...not after all we've been through..." he said softly.  
  
"I wouldn't have said what I said that day if I didn't," Mika told him sharply.  
  
~*Flashback*~  
  
Mika was about ready to leave Hogwarts. She was all packed. She walked out of Gryffindor Tower and headed for the Entrance Hall, dragging her trunk behind her.  
  
"Hey, Mika!"  
  
The voice made her turn around. The second she faced Draco, she began to tremble.  
  
"Are you okay, sweetie?" he asked worried.  
  
"Don't even talk to me!" she hissed before turning around and heading to the exit.  
  
Draco grabbed her shoulder and made her stop.  
  
"Talk to me, Mika. Please?"  
  
"I read the Daily Prophet this morning...that basically just ruined my Graduation. I hope you're happy."  
  
Just then, Audrey Firestorm walked by. She smiled sweetly at Draco and gave Mika a dirty look.  
  
"Mika...I didn't put that announcement up about my so-called engagement."  
  
"No, that doesn't matter. I should have known from day one not to set myself up for disappointment. I'm gonna make sure that never happens again."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
"You'll never have to worry about me again. Just go off and marry that bitch! I hope you're happy."  
  
With that being said, she headed out and searched for Harry, Hermione, Ron and Marionie to see which carriage they were taking. She didn't even give Draco a second glance.  
  
~*End Flashback*~  
  
Draco's expression tightened, remembering what Mika told him the last time he had seen her, on Graduation day three years ago.  
  
"Now do you remember?" Mika asked, keeping her sharp tone.  
  
Draco nodded, remembering exactly why Mika was so angry. His lawyer, who was a friend of his father's, put an announcement out about his engagement to Audrey Firestorm, who was his sister Joey's best friend Serena's older sister. The Firestorms and the Malfoys were close friends and they had planned for the eldest of each family to marry each other one day. Of course, Draco didn't agree.  
  
"We're really a pair, aren't we?" he said to loosen up the tension.  
  
Mika softened her tone of voice and said, "What are you talking about?"  
  
"A snobby pureblood Slytherin and a hot-tempered Muggle Born Gryffindor...who would have thought we could have fallen in love?"  
  
"Good point," Mika said softly, "I guess we complete each other in some strange way. I never forgot how good that felt."  
  
"Me neither..." Draco replied equally as soft.  
  
Mika tightened her expression and told him coldly, "This doesn't mean we're back together. You still married her. You still married Audrey Firestorm!!!" Her piercing green eyes stared into Draco's cool blue ones with an angry spark.  
  
"Only because I had to look out for Joey! She would have been the next in line but she was too young...she wouldn't be able to control the Malfoy estate and the fortune until she was 18. I had to do it to look out for my sister...but I never loved her. You were the only one for me!" Draco was begging Mika to believe him with his eyes.  
  
Realizing what he was doing, Mika turned away from Draco and looked out the window. The pair spent a moment in the silence. Draco just watched Mika staring out the window.  
  
"Hey, do you know about what happened to Mari?" Draco said gravely, breaking the silence.  
  
Mika forgot about being angry and turned back to Draco. "No, I cut myself off from the wizarding world for three years, remember, ya dolt!? What are you talking about? Is she okay??? She's not dead, is she???" she blurted out.  
  
"No...she was injured very badly during a Quidditch match. All her bones have healed but she might not be able to have children..."  
  
Mika's jaw dropped as Draco went on.  
  
"...Harry, Hermione, Ron, and I sent owls to your father's to deliver to you. He said you didn't want any communication at all from the wizarding world. I'm sorry you had to find out this way."  
  
Draco expected tears to fall from Mika's eyes just because he knew how sensitive she was but he didn't expect what came after: Mika let her defenses down. She sat next to Draco and broken down in tears on her shoulder.  
  
"We'll see how long this lasts before she starts being angry again," Draco thought to himself. He let Mika cry her heart out on his shoulder and sensed there was more to it then just Marionie's Quidditch accident. 


End file.
